You're making the same error as the rest of the K's don't matter crowd does. It's not about the times the out is made. It's about increasing the amount of times a should be out doesn't end up an out. Striking out leaves a smaller chance of getting on first safely than putting the ball in play that should be an out. A lazy fly to center should be the same result as a strikeout. But when we combine the number of errors, balls that gets lost in the sun, misplayed so badly they fielder never touches the ball or drops between two defenders due to miscommunication are higher than the number of strikeouts that end with the batter safe at first. That admittedly small increase in reaching first safely is not zero. Every single ball put in play has that added small chance of reaching first safely that a K does not. The correct way if stating it should be strikeouts are almost, but not quite, the same as other outs.